Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove US Spellings from the Microsoft Word Dictionary

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to remove US English spellings from Microsoft Word's proofing tools to enforce strict UK English spelling.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows / Mac
Scenario: Editing professional or academic documents that require strictly UK English spelling without US spelling variations being accepted by the spell checker.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word's default proofing tools cannot be edited directly to remove US spellings, often accepting them as correct even when UK English is set as the primary language.

Before you start

Ensure that your document's primary proofing language is actively set to UK English (or your preferred regional dialect) before configuring an exclusion dictionary.

Solution 1Recommended

Create and Configure an Exclusion Dictionary

Since default proofing tools cannot be edited directly, you can force Word to flag specific US spellings by adding them to an exclusion dictionary.

An exclusion dictionary allows you to specify words that the built-in Microsoft Word dictionary normally accepts but that you want to be flagged as misspelled. This is particularly useful for forcing strict UK spellings over US variants.

Locate the exclusion dictionary file

On Windows, navigate to 'AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof'. On a Mac, look in the Library folder under 'Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/UProof'. Locate the file ending in '.lex' corresponding to your language (e.g., 'ExcludeDictionaryEN0809.lex' for UK English).

Open the file in a text editor

Right-click the exclusion dictionary file and open it using a plain text editor, such as Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac.

Add unwanted US spellings

Type the US spellings you want Word to flag (like 'color' or 'organize'). You must enter exactly one word per line, all in lowercase.

Save and restart Word

Save the text file and close it. Restart Microsoft Word to apply the changes. The spell checker will now flag the words you added as incorrect.

Mac User Troubleshooting: If the exclusion dictionary does not seem to work on Mac, ensure the file is saved with UTF-16 LE encoding and that you have restarted the entire Mac, as background proofing processes may need a hard reset to register the new file.

Solution 2

Utilize a Third-Party Spelling and Grammar Checker

If manually managing an exclusion dictionary is too tedious, a dedicated third-party proofing tool can enforce strict regional spelling rules automatically.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Simpler Document Proofing

If configuring hidden exclusion files in Microsoft Word is too complex, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with easy-to-use spell check settings that support various English dialects right out of the box.

1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and complete the quick installation process.
2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx files natively without losing any formatting.
3. Manage Spell Check: Navigate to the 'Review' tab to easily select your preferred proofing language and manage dictionary settings.

Easily manage spell check dictionaries and regional proofing languages.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word document formats (.doc, .docx).Lightweight installation and completely free to use.Familiar user interface ensures a seamless migration from Microsoft Office.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word accept US spellings when my language is set to UK English?

Microsoft Word's built-in UK English dictionary includes many common US variations as acceptable spellings by default. To strictly enforce UK spellings and flag US variants as errors, you must manually add the US variations to an exclusion dictionary.

Where can I find the exclusion dictionary on a Mac?

On a Mac, the exclusion dictionary is typically located in the hidden user Library folder. Navigate to '~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/UProof'. The file is often named 'ExcludeDictionaryEN0809.lex'.

Can I directly edit Microsoft Word's default dictionary?

No, Microsoft Word's default proofing tools and primary dictionaries are locked system files and cannot be edited directly by users. You can only use a custom dictionary to add unrecognized words, or an exclusion dictionary to flag normally accepted words as misspelled.

Will my exclusion dictionary affect other Office apps like Excel and PowerPoint?

Yes, exclusion dictionaries are shared across the Microsoft Office suite. Any word added to your exclusion list will also be flagged as a misspelling in Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

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